Safety-stirrup.



No. 882,683. V PATENTED MAR.,24, 1908. J. M. HIBBARD.

SAFETY STIRRUP. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAFETY-STIRRUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Application filed September 9, 1907. Serial No. 392,013.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HIBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oregon, in the county of Holt and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Safety-Stirrup, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety stirrups and its obj eat is to provide a simple, durable and eflicient device of this character so constructed as to prevent the foot of a rider becoming caught therein should the rider be thrown.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stirrup embodying the present improvements, one of the positions of one of the movable members being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stirrup, certain positions of the movable members being indicated by dotted lines.

' Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates the top of the stirrup, the same being preferably in the form of a bar having an upstanding loop 2 to which the supporting strap, not shown, is designed to be connected. Ears 3 preferably extend from the ends of this bar and are pivotally connected to the forked inturned upper ends 4 of side bars 5. The lower ends of these side bars are' also inturned and forked as indicated at 6 and are pivotally connected to ears 7 extending from the ends of the bot tom 8 of the stirrup, which is preferably in the form of a short metal bar.

It is of course to be understood that the side members 5 are normally positioned in the same plane with the bars 1 and 8 and the foot of the rider is designed to bear downward upon the bar 8 and the lower portions of the members 5. Should the rider be unexpectedly dismounted or thrown the foot Will not become caught within the stirrup but should it twist therein it will cause the side members 5 to swing upon their pivots in either direction to prevent the foot becoming wedged and therefore it will be possible for the foot to readily slip out of position and the danger of the rider being dragged is eliminated. Importance is attached to the fact that the side members swing upon the pivots extending longitudinally of the stirrup and that both sides are independently movable so that either or both can swing sufficiently to prevent a foot from becoming wedged within the stirrup.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stirrup the combination with upper and lower members; of side members pivotally connected thereto and constituting the sole connections therebetween, the pivots of said members being disposed along lines perpendicular to the bottom of the stirrup.

2. A stirrup comprising upper and lower members, and side members having inturned ends pivotally connected to and constituting the sole connections between the upper and lower members, said upper and lower members being disposed. in a plane intersecting the paths of movements of the side members.

3. In a stirrup the combination with upper and lower members; of side members pivotally connected thereto and constituting the sole connections therebetween, each of said side members having inturned ends, the pivots of the side members exte ding longitudinally of the stirrup.

4. In a stirrup the combination with upper and lower members; of side members having inturned ends pivotally connected to the end portions of the upper and lower members, the pivots of said members extending longitudinally of the stirrup, and means upon the upper member for engagement by the supporting device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, JOHN M. HIBBARD Witnesses:

Jones 0. WHITMER, HARRY M. DUNGAN. 

